While I believe these units are not so much of a needed item, they do have their use in providing a steady calcium supply to your aquarium. Although, most, if not all aquariums calcium level can be maintained through dripping in lime water (kalkwasser), there are those hobbyists who enjoy having various equipment components to automate their systems as much as possible, that and it can add enjoyment to the hobby for…

For nitrate and phoshpate control, I'm using a NextReef reactor. Model SMR1 XL, this reactor holds 2 liters of Vertex NP biopellets. Plumbed to the manifold, a ball valve is used to control the flow rate through the pellets. I've been running biopellets since February 6, 2011, and it appears to be working well: water-testing The Nextreef reactor is the blue acrylic one. The valve is very easy to turn, compared to the kind purchased…

A calcium reactor is a piece of equipment that helps maintain alkalinity and calcium in a reef tank. For years, I didn't buy one mainly because they are expensive, and dosed my tank with B-Ionic daily. That worked fine for a 29 gallon and a 55 gallon reef, but if your tank is larger than those, you may decide that a calcium reactor is the better choice long term. Many companies build reactors, some better…